Candid Interviews of WWE Wrestlers: Good or Bad?

[Klown_Karnage]

Well, it's now time for the resident defender of the silly to put forth a question that has been resting upon my mind like a plump penguin on top of a television set: Are candid interviews of WWE wrestlers a good or a bad thing? Do they enrich the entertainment of the fans, or do they spoil the illusion? I realize that other wrestling promotions have "character" wrestlers and such, but the WWE seems to have the most outrageous ones, so I'm focusing here for this question.

Really, I can see both sides of this one. For some it might spoil the illusion. Many who have watched someone like Kane throughout his career and have enjoyed his persona of a sadistic and even (dare I say it) demonic character might find themselves uncomfortable knowing that in real life the man Glen Jacobs is actually a very sweet-natured and friendly guy. It could "spoil" their image of him. I think that Mark Calaway (The Undertaker) doesn't even give any interviews at this time for the same reason, and only did make actual candid appearances when he was doing his American Badass persona, a bit more human and therefore excusable.

On the other hand, and I can only speak from a personal standpoint, having actual proof that the wrestler is not the character he/she portrays doesn't bother me. I actually enjoy knowing this and therefore being able to appreciate the time and effort it takes for the performer to portray the character which is entirely unlike him/herself. I've mentioned Kane because his interview on the Wrestlecast podcast is the most recent I've listened to and I now understand while Stone Cold Steve Austin once described him as a "sweetheart". Foley was another I really enjoyed listening to because, when not playing one of his screwball characters, he's actually a fairly even-minded down-to-earth kinda guy.

What do you think? Do you like to know about the person behind the spandex or do you prefer to just stick with the illusion and why?

 

[Viola Moonlight]

This is a two way street.

It is great to see the fact that wrestlers like the ones from WWE get to have the chance to become outside their own characters away from the television sets & on-screen camera angles so they can properly embrace their fans & their own lives. It is hard for the wrestlers not to act in gimmick outside these events as you have many fans coming up to you saying how they appreciate your work in the ring & they are major fans of your's. If you were someone like the Undertaker, how would you respond if you were in kayfabe? "I hope you Rest... In... Peace..." with the eye rolls & walk away snobby like? The way that wrestlers can now say, like Taker, "Thank you for your kind words" is more positive for the business & is a win-win situation. The fans are happy their appreciations got noticed, Taker doesn't feel like an asshole for blowing them off with his wrestling persona & the business is given a good review as their employee's are professional & respectful in all business endeavours.

However, the only thing that these situations do that is considered bad for the business is how a loss of the illusion of wrestling occurs. Take example the Chris Jericho interviews. He goes around, on-screen, about how the fans are stupid & the only people in the ring that are any good at their job is himself & any allies he associates himself with. On these interviews, he talks about how much great potential wrestlers such as Morrison & Punk are & how he would like to help them lift into the Main Event scene as he feels they deserve it. This becomes the confusion & the whole persona of the ring has lost its effect, though still greatly executed & still bought by the fans.

In my opinion, this is a good thing as the WWE are moving away from kayfabe & into a more realistic setting for the product. So, having wrestlers act in character during these interviews would be a step backwards.

 

[Ambiguous Turd]

I have a rule of thumb with my ideology of kayfabe. Kayfabe starts at the beginning of the show ... and ends at the end of the show. That's it.

Any interviews in public should be done out of character. This includes public appearances. This even includes the Hall of Fame ceremony.

Trying to preserve kayfabe away from the ring in the year 2009 is (as much as I hate this phrase) "insulting to one's intelligence". Because you see the guys and gals in character on TV. I think more fans want to see the real person behind the character when in public settings. They see enough of the personality/character on TV.

Plus, trying to do kayfabe interviews in public does not appeal to mainstream America whatsoever. If they see wrestlers in character on a show like Regis & Kelly, that only earns scoffs and ridicule in this day and age ... because people simply do not understand and nor do they respect the character aspect in public.

When actors and actresses appear in public in interviews, they certainly don't appear playing the latest movie character. They appear as themselves. If the wrestling industry wants respect in Mainstream America, they would be wise to do the same.

 

[Spaceman Spif]

In todays wrestling world, people already know that the character's they see on TV are not the same ones off of TV. There really is no illusion anymore, unless you are a little kid who has yet to be smartened up to kayfabe of wrestling. So yeah it would be a bit of an insult to me to see Kane walking around a grocery store or even at a football game wearing his wrestling tights, scaring little kids. I wouldn't buy it.

However I remember those days, I remember believing Undertaker really cast lightning and really brought up the lights, that Hulk Hogan was invincible, I remember and do at times miss those days. I wish we could go back in time to where I could still believe, but thanks to the smarks and IWC and the magazines and all the other media and Vince himself, that belief is long gone and won't ever come back. Wishful thinking is all it is now.

 

[jackpeyton]

I dont mind it at all, in fact i love it. I see it not different than actors on a soap opera doing interviews, of course they are out of character. I use soap opera actors as an example because they, like wrestlers, do this every week every year for decades.

But then again, i never thought of wrestling as "real". I never thought the Undertaker was a real person, i knew someone was playing him. So maybe thats why.

 

[angry_panda]

I dont understand why it would be spoiling the "illusion". WWE is a show, an entertainment show, with actors and actresses (sure they are amazing athletes as well, but the best wrestlers are great on the stick because they are good at acting). WWE doesnt pretend they actually are these characters, they dont out right say they arent, but if you cornered VKM and asked him he would tell you wrestling is fake.

I think it would be detrimental to wresting if its stars didnt do candid interviews. Just like if Brad Pitt did an interview for a new film, and refused to come out of character. Everyone would think he was odd. You expect him to be Brad Pit not Rusty Ryan, or Benjamin Button or whoever. Why should wrestling be any different.